Battery-filling device



oct. 3o, 192s.

W. E. HOLLAND BATTERY FILLING DEVICE Filed J1`1nve4, 1921 Parenteel oa.3o, 1928. y 1,690,066

UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

wALIfEE E. IIoLLANn, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon '.roPIIILA' DELPHIA STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, oP PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,A

CORPORATION oE PENNSYLVANIA.

:BATTERY-FILLING DEVICE. Appneation mea :une 4, 1921. serial No.471,895.

This invention relates to apparatus for supinsulating material which atits outer end is plying liquid to battery cells and more'espeprovidedwithxa tubular extension 2 of re-.55 cially for filling storage batterycells` to -a duced diameter having annular serrations predeterminedlevel with water or electrolyte. designed to receive and hold a flexiblerubber 5 One object of the invention 1s to prov1de tube or pipe. Theopposite end of said hana device of the class noted which 1s pardlewhich isV preferably also of reduced ticularly adapted to cause an alarmto be diameter, has fixed to it a valve head 3 main- 00 given when theliquid in a battery cell being tained in position by radially extendingset filled has risen to a predetermined level, and screwsvwhose headsproject beyond its outer said device is particularly designed to besurface. Said head 3 is hollow and its roof durable and substantialconstruction,. for jecting portion is frusto-conical in form, avwhichpurpose it is made of such materials ing through its inclined side aport or pasa5 as will not appreciably deteriorate or dissolve sage 5communicating through its interior in and contaminate the electrolyteunder concavity with the passage through the handle 1.

ditions of use. Rotatably mounted on this head is an A further object ofthe invention is to proangular nozzle structure made in two parts videabattery filling device which shall in- 6 and 7 threaded or otherwisefastened to- 70 clude novel means for automatically cuttlng gether andthe latter ofthese parts terminates off the flow of liquid when it isremoved from in a portion 8 of reduced diameter designed the batterycell, the arrangement of parts to lit into the filling opening or wellof'a being such that flow of liquid is permitted storage battery cell.The part 6 of the nozzle only when it is properly manipulated after isformed with a conical seat for the recep- 75 its nozzle has been appliedto or inserted in tion of the frusto-,conical end of the head 3 thefillingv opening of a battery'cell. and hasfa cavity' 9 o eningpon saidseat in I-also desire to provide a battery filling position to registerwith the` passage or port device which shall include two rela-tively 5of the head when said nozzle occupies a movable parts for controllingthe ow of liqdefinite position thereon. This cavity also 30 uid,together with novel means whereby said communicates with the axialpassage through parts are normally retained in such positions thetubular portion 8 of the nozzle so that v as to prevent such flow. thereis provided a continuous passage from Another object of my invention isto prothe handle 1 through the head 3 and the parts vide a fillingdevice which shall require the -6 and 7 of the nozzle, which however maybe 85 exertion of forceon the part of the user to interrupted or cutofi' by turning the valve maintain its relatively movable parts in suchhead 3 through an angle of approximately positions as to allow liow ofliquid and which 90. The passage 5 is thus closed ofi' from shallinclude automatic means for cutting olf the cavity -9 of the nozzlesection 6, as shown the liquid iow when such force ceases or is in Fig.4. 90 not exerted. For normally retaining the valve head 3 i Theseobjects yand other advantageous ends and handle 1 in and returning themto a 40 I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference delinitepositioninrelation to the nozzle cavbeing had tothe accompanying drawings, in ity.9', with the port 5 closed, I provide a series which of' rubber bandsextending between the han- 95 Fig. 1 is a plan of a battery lling devicedle 1 and the rear projection of the nozzle constructed in accordancewith my inven- Q section 6 preferably at an angle to the axial tion;line thereof, for which purpose I provide on Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical section' on said handle a ange 10 having its edge the line 2 2,Fig. l; formed with recesses 11 designed to consti- 100 Figs. 3 and 4are sections respectively taken tute hooks 13 over lwhich the rubberbands 12 on the lines 3-3 and 1f-4, Fig.'2; and A may be placed. Thenozzle section 6 is pref- Figs. 5 and '6 are .transverse sections onerabl extended rearwardly beyond the head the lines 5-5 and 6 6, Fig.-2. 3 an its overhung edge is formed with per- In the above drawings, 1represents a tubuforations 1li-for the reception of the second 105 larhandle of hard rubber or other suitable end of each of the rubber bands.Each of these perforations is staggered or. offset rel a.

' tively to the hooks 13 when the port 5 is closed or cut oli from thecavity 9 of the nozzle, so that when the rubber bands 12 are applied asindicated in Fig. 1, they tend to maintain. said port closed, with thepro]ect ing heads of the screws 4 respectivel agalnst the ends of theslots 16 in the nozz e sectlon 6. These slots, which extendcircumferentially, are of such length as to-perm1t of the valve head 3being turned in the nozzle suliiciently far to bring the port 5 intocommunicationwith the cavity 9 of the nozzle, although obviously'l therotation of the valve head necessary to bring the parts Into thesepositions is opposed by the rubber bands, which when the turning forceis removed, return said parts to their normal positions. It is to benoted that in addition to the above functions the rubber bands serve tohold together the nozzle and handle structures and at the same timeinsure the perfect engagement of the parts of the valve.

When it is desired to utilize the apparatus above described,theextension 2 of the tubular handle is connected through a suitablerubber or other flexible conduit with a source of liquid, such as anelevated reservoir, from which such liquid is free to flow through thehandle 1 and into the head 3. Its passage through the port 5, however,is cut off by the valve section 6 which is normally so held by therubber bands 12 as to close this port.

Under conditions of use the outer` or free end 8 of the nozzle isintroduced into the lilling opening of a battery cell and the handle 1is turned axially against the action of ,fthe

rubber bands until the port 5 is brought into communication with thecavity 9 of the noz- .zle whereupon liquid ows through the handle andout of said nozzle into the cell. When ythe proper amount of liquid hasbeen added to the cell, the handle and valve head are allowed to returnto the normal closed position by the action of the rubber bands. If thenozzle is removed from the cell before allowing the valve to close, theflow of liquid is automatically cut ofi', since'the rubber bands actto'rotate said nozzle on the head 3, and thus close the port 5, as soonas it is no longer held from rotating by the walls of the cell opening.

In order that the operator may be advised when 'the liquid deliveredfrom the nozzle has risen to a predetermined height'in the batter cellor other container being filled, I provi e on the reduced end 8 of thenozzle two terminals consisting in the present instance of strips orbars 17 of lead alloy or other electrical conductor not affected by theelectrolyte of the cell or other liquid delivered ,through the nozzle.In the present instance these terminals consist of cast bodies of leadalloy in undercut grooves extendingv longitudinally on opposite-aides ofthe no,

zle and they extend t cylindrical cavities whic cated at 19.

Suitably insulated electrical conductors 20 extend through passages inopposite sides of the nozzle structure and terminate in said cavitieswhere/the lead of the terminals is preferabl cast around the bared ends,of them so t at said exposed ends as well as' the adjacent insulationare completely surrounded and enclosed. Said conductors 20 arepreferably also led through channels in the enlarged portion of thehandle 1 and are connected in circuit with a suitable signal device andcurrent source.

While .T have described the device as being made chiefly of hard rubberor a similar insulating material, I may preferably in certain cases, asfor instance when for use in lilling alkaline battery cells, make onlythe nozzle 7 of insulating material, to carry th'e contact terminals 17,and make the remaining body'par'ts of a suitable metal, to save expense.

' When under conditions of use the liquid in the battery cell is broughtto such a height as to electrically connect the ends of the terminals 17the circuit in which said terminals are included is thereby completedand the resulting current flow, by actuating a relay which closes thesignal circuit, gives audible or other indication that suilicient liquidhas been delivered to the cell. As above noted, the metal of theterminals 17 19 is not corroded by the electrolyte of the battery andthe metal of the conductors 20 is likewise protected from injury sincethese are covered with electrolyte-proo insulation and their free endsare imbedded in the bodies 19 of the terminals. Furthermore, the bodyparts and valveactuating springs 12 are non-corrodible since they aremade respectively of hard and soft rubber or equivalentelectrolyte-proof materials. a

When used to add electrolyte rather than water, it is obvious that I mayemploy but a single conductor 19 and terminal 17 in connection with thealarm circuit for use 'with my device, since the electrolyte beingdelivered therethrough is itself an electrical conductor and may beconnected with said circuit at any desired point.

The Words electrolyte-proof used herein are intended to describe theinsoluble character of certain materials when subjected to the rou h theflange 18 into they lill as indi- `action of the common storage batteryelecmaterial; electrolyte-proof metallic conductors carried by saidnozzle and terminating in the same lane at Vthe delivery end thereof;with insu ated conductors imbedded in the material of the nozzle andhaving their metallic portions surrounded and enclosed Within saidterminal conductors.

2. The combination in a battery illing device of a tubular handle havinga flange; a nozzle of electrolyte-proof material mounted t on saidhandle and having a passage cooperating therewith to constitute a valve;and rubber bands extending from said ange to said nozzle structure inposition to normally maintain said valve closed. l

- 3. The combination in a battery fillng'device of a'tubular handlehaving ahead; a nozzle rotatably mounted on'said head and overhangingthe rear portion thereof; projecting portions-on the handle, there beingports in the head and in the nozzle cooperatin to form a valve; withrubber bands exten ing between the proj eating portions of the handleand the overhung portion of the head to normally maintain said valveclosed.

WALTER E. HOLLAND.

